The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods that enable the inclusion of emotional context in indirect communications based on measured physiological signals of a user.
The human nervous system includes a large number of neurons that cooperate with one another to enable mental activities. By analyzing the communications between these neurons while a person performs various tasks, patterns may be observed and associated with particular mental activities and moods of the person. Electroencephalograph (EEG) devices include a number of electrodes that are typically positioned at locations along the scalp and face of a person and can measure patterns of voltage fluctuations that result from electrical communications between the person's neurons. For example, a person connected to an EEG device may have a particular pattern of electrical activity that can be identified when the patient thinks of a particular object, place, movement, or emotion. As such, an EEG device can be utilized as a computer input device, whereby patterns of voltage fluctuations of a user's brain may be translated into computer commands or actions (e.g., mouse movements, keyboard strokes), which is particularly useful for computer users that may not be capable of using traditional computer input devices.
Humans have long engaged in indirect communications, such as written communications, in which the emotional state of the author may be difficult to determine with any certainty. At times, the ambiguity that results from a misinterpretation of the emotional context of a communication results in a humorous misunderstanding or may open the door to desired subtleties where the author prefers his or her motives to be occluded. However, in other contexts, the misinterpretation of the emotional context, for example, a literal interpretation of a sarcastic or humorous statement, often proves detrimental to all parties involved.